Sprayer

ABSTRACT

A sprayer includes a container for receiving a liquid therein, a sprayer head having a piston for sucking and ejecting the liquid from a nozzle, and a neck portion coupling said head to said container, said neck portion having a vent for permitting the interior of the container to communicate with the open air. Said vent is normally closed by a flexible closing member and, when the piston is operated, is opened by an operating rod to release a negative pressure within the container.

United States Patent [191 Tada [4 1 July 29, 1975 SPRAYER [76] Inventor:Tetsuya Tada,l339

Nishitakadomari, Onoda-shi, Yamaguchi-ken, Japan [22]- Filed: Dec. 20,1974 [21] Appl. No.: 534,891

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 9, 1974 Japan i. 49-103637[52] U.S.Cl. 239/333; 239/347; 239/349; 239/375; 239/528; 222/384 [51]Int. Cl. 305B l/32; BOSB 11/02 [58] Field of Search 239/321, 347, 348,349,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,753,518 8/1973 Kutik222/383 3,762,647 10/1973 Tada 3,768,734 10/1973 Anderson et a1. 239/3333,780,951 12/1973 Powers 239/347 3,797,749 3/1974 Tada 239/321 FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 2,042,690 3/1972 Germany 239/375 508,734 7/1939United Kingdom. 239/348 404,569 12/1965 Switzerland 239/333 416,4836/1966 Switzerland 239/333 Primary Examiner-Robert S. Ward, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT A sprayer includes a container for receiving a liquidtherein, a sprayer head having a piston for sucking and ejecting theliquid from a nozzle, and a neck portion coupling said head to saidcontainer, said neck portion having a vent for permitting the interiorof the container to communicate with the open air, Said vent is normallyclosed by a flexible closing member and, when the piston is operated, isopened by an operating rod to release a negative pressure Within thecontainer.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED JUL 2 91975 SHEET SPRAYERBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a manuallyoperable sprayer for spraying a spray liquid.

Usually, this type of sprayer comprises a piston slidably disposedwithin a cylinder formed in the sprayer head and a container forreceiving a spray liquid therein, whereby the spray liquid is suckedinto the cylinder by the sliding movement of the piston and is ejectedfrom a nozzle at the tip end of the piston. Further, the sprayer isprovided with a vent for permitting the interior of the container tocommunicate with the open air so as to prevent a negative pressure frombeing generated within the container due to the liquid sucking operationof the piston. Said vent is always opened to the open air. Accordingly,the spray liquid is always evaporated, and where the sprayer iscarelessly turned upside down, the liquid is leaked through the vent.For preventing this, a sprayer is proposed which is provided with aspecific value capable of being opened by the negative pressure withinthe container. This valve, however, has the drawback of beingcomplicated in construction to increase the manufacturing cost of thesprayer, and the possibility exists that said specific valve is notopened even when the pressure within the container has become negative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to provide asimplified and inexpensive sprayer having a mechanism for preventinggeneration of a negative pressure.

A sprayer according to the invention comprises a g neck portion formedin integrity with the sprayer head and coupled to the container, saidneck portion having a vent for permitting the interior of the containerto communicate with the open air, a flexible member normally closingsaid vent, and an operating member for deforming said flexible member inaccordance with the sliding movement of the piston to open said vent.

In the foregoing construction, the vent is normally closed by theflexible member and, only when the operating member has deformed theflexible member, is opened. For this reason, the above-mentionedpossibility of a spray liquid being leaked and evaporated through thevent is eliminated, and further the vent is reliably opened by themechanical force of the operating member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING This invention will now be described inmore detail by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view ofa sprayer according to anembodiment of the invention, illustrating the condition wherein thepiston has been protruded from the cylinder up to a maximum limit;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the condition whereinthe piston has been carried into the cylinder up to a maximum limit;

FIG. 3 is a partial view illustrating the condition wherein theengagement projection of the lever is engaged with the flange of thepiston; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The illustrated sprayeraccording to the embodiment of the invention is almost wholly formed ofa suitable material such as plastic, and comprises a container 10 forreceiving a spray liquid therein and a sprayer head 11 for spraying thespray liquid. The container 10 has a cylindrical mouth portion 12projecting upwardly of the container 10, and the outer periphery of saidmouth portion is formed with an outer thread 13. A neck portion 14formed in integrity with the head 11 is formed with a frust-conicalrecess 15 extending from the neck bottom upwardly of the illustrationand formed with an outer flange 16 at the outer wall of the lower partof the neck portion. The lower end of the neck portion 14 is formed witha ring like projection 17 downwardly extending from said lower end. Intosaid recess 15 is liquid-tightly inserted a hollow frust-conical sealmember 18 formed of a flexible material. The upper portion of said sealmember 18 is so formed thinner as to become more flexible. The sealmember 18 has a flange 19 at its lower end,.and the upper surface ofsaid flange 19 is formed with a ring like groove 20 fitted over saidprojection 17 of the neck portion 14 while the lower surface of saidflange 19 is formed with a plurality of concentric projections 21.Around the neck portion 14 is disposed a clamping ring 22, which has aninner flange 23 engaged with the upper portion of said outer flange 16.The lower part of the clamping ring surrounds the mouth portion 12 ofthe container 10, and the inner periphery of said lower part is formedwith an inner thread 24 fitted to the outer thread 13 by screwengagement. When the clamping ring; 22 is rotated, the inner flange 23thereof downwardly presses the outer flange 16 of the neck portion. Forthis reason, the upper end of the mouth portion 12 presses theprojections 21 of the seal member 18 to cause them to be flexiblydeformed, thereby to increase the liquid-tightness between the mouthportion and the seal member. Simultaneously, the seal member is moreliquid-tightly and more deeply pushed up into the recess 15 of the neckportion.

At a position slightly lower than the upper end of the seal member thereis provided a vent 25 for permitting the recess 15 to communicate withthe open air. Said vent is formed into a bowl-like configuration flaringtoward the exterior, and the inner opening portion of the vent is alwaysclosed by the upper portion of the seal member 18. I

Said sprayer head 11 has a cylindrical bore or cylinder 27 one end ofwhich is opened to the exterior and the bottom of which communicateswith the recess 15 through a passageway 26. To the lower end of thepassageway 26 is firmly coupled a pipe 28 for introducing the liquidwithin the container 10 into the cylinder 27. In the cylinder bottomsection is disposed at first one way valve 29, which includes a ringlike fixing member 29a firmly fitted to the inner wall of the cylinder,a plurality of flexible slender supporting arms 2% radially inwardlyextending from said fixing member and a frust-conical valve element 290retained by said arms at the center of the valve. Said. valve element29c has a diameter larger than the diameter of the opening 26a of thepassageway 26 and is normally maintained, by said arms 2%, in a statespaced from the outer peripheral wall of the opening 26a of thepassageway 26.

Into the cylinder 27 is slidably inserted from said opening end thereofa piston 30, which includes a cylindrical member 30a formed therethroughwith a cylindrical bore 31 and a sliding member 30b firmly inserted intothe inward end portion of the bore 31. Said sliding member has at theouter periphery of its inward end portion a flaring skirt portion 30cwhich slides along the inner wall of the cylinder in a liquid-tightcondition, and has a through hole 32 for permitting the interior of thecylinder 27 to communicate with said bore 31. The other or outward endof the bore 31 communicates with the open air through a small diameterbore 33 and a nozzle hole 34. Within the bore 31 is disposed a seconddisc-shaped one-way valve 35, which is urged against the end portion ofthe sliding member 30b by the biasing force of a spring 36. From thevalve 35 is integrally extended a rod 37, the outward end portion ofwhich is formed into a swirl portion 37a whose cross section ispolygonal and which is inserted into said small diameter bore 33. Saidswirl portion, when a spray liquid is ejected, causes the liquid to beswirled by the known method.

A flange 38 is radially exteriorly extended in integrity with saidcylindrical member 30a of the piston 30 from the outer peripheral wallthereof, while an annular groove 39 is so formed as to surround thecylinder 27 of the sprayer head 11. A compression spring 40 dis posed insaid annular groove always applies a biasing force to the flange 38thereby to urge the piston 30 forwardly or outwardly of the cylinder 27.

Rockably pivoted through a pivot 41 to the upper end portion of thesprayer head is a lever 42, which has a large through hole 43, throughwhich the tip end, or outward end portion of the piston is protrudedinto the exterior. As seen from the detailed illustrations of FIGS. 3and 4, a pair of wedge-shaped engagement projections 44a and 44b arefixed to both side portions of the lever 42 while a pair of grooves 45aand 45b whose cross sections are triangle-shaped are formed in theflange 38 of the piston. Said pair of engagement projections 44a and 44bare respectively extended to the flange 38, and the acute tip ends ofthe projections 44a and 44b are respectively engaged with the bottoms ofthe grooves 45a and 45b thereby to permit the central axis of the piston30 to exactly coincide with that of the cylinder 27. When the lever 42is moved in a direction indicated by an arrow A of FIG. 1, the pairedprojections 44a and 44b push the piston 27 inwardly of the cylinderagainst the biasing force of the compression springs 40.

To the lower end of the flange 38 is fixed an L-shaped operating rod 46,a portion 46a of which is extended in parallel with the central axis ofthe piston rod 30 and in concentric relationship to the vent 25 of theneck portion 14. The diameter of the rod portion 46a is sufficientlysmaller than the minimum diameter of the vent 25, and arrangement is somade that when the piston 30 is protruded from the cylinder up to amaximum limit (see FIG. 1), the tip end of the rod portion 46a islocated outside of the vent 25 whereas as the piston is moved inwardlyof the cylinder, said tip end is carried into the vent. On the undersideof the sprayer head 11 are integrally provided a pair of parallelprotection plates 47a and 47b, which protect the operating rod 46 fromboth sides thereof.

The operation of the sprayer according to the invention will hereinafterbe explained.

When it is assumed that the lever 42 is moved by operators fingers inthe direction indicated by the arrow A of FIG. 1, the engagementprojections 44a and 44b push the flange 38 against the biasing force ofthe compression springs 40 to cause the piston 30 to be slided inwardlyof the cylinder 27. At this time, the resultant increasing liquidpressure in the cylinder causes the first one-way valve 29 to be closedand simultaneously the second one-way valve 35 to be opened. Thus, theliquid flows through the through hole 32, valve 35, bore 31 and smalldiameter bore 33 until it is sprayed from the nozzle 34. When a forceacting on the lever 42 is released, the piston 30 is pushed outwardly ofthe cylinder 27 by the compression springs 40 to cause the lever 42 tobe moved in a direction indicated by an arrow B. At this time, the valve35 is caused to close the through hole 32 due to the biasing force ofthe springs 36, and the valve 29 is opened due to a negative pressuregenerated within the cylinder 27. For this reason, the liquid within thecontainer is sucked into the cylinder 27 through the pipe 28, passageway26 and opening 26a.

When the lever 42 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow A,the operating rod 46 is moved jointly with the piston 30 and thuscarried into the vent 25. Even when, at this time, the piston isvibrated to cause the central axis of the rod 46 to fail to exactlycoincide with the center of the vent 25, the tip end portion of the rod46 is reliably carried into the vent since the outward opening portionof the bowl-shaped vent is widely opened. In the latter half of theinward movement of the piston 30, the tip end of the rod 46 abutsagainst an upper portion of said seal member to cause this portion to beflexibly deformed and spaced from the inner wall of the recess 15. Forthis reason, the air is introduced into the recess 15 through the vent25 to release the negative pressure within the container 10. When thepiston 30 is returned to the original position by the biasing force ofthe compression springs 40, the rod 46 is moved jointly with the pistonto escape from the vent 25. Thus, the seal member 18 once again abutsagainst the inner wall of the recess 15 to close the vent 25.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sprayer including a sprayer head having a cylindrical bore, apiston slidably inserted into said cylindrical bore and a container forreceiving a spray liquid therein, whereby, when operated, the pistonpermits the spray liquid to be sucked from the container into thecylindrical bore through pipe means and subsequently ejected from anozzle at the tip end of the piston, the improvement comprising a neckportion formed in integrity with said sprayer head and coupled to saidcontainer, said neck portion having a vent for permitting the interiorof the container to communicate with the open air, flexible closingmeans for normally closing said vent, operating means for deforming saidclosing means in accordance with the sliding movement of the piston toopen said vent.

2. A sprayer according to claim 1 wherein said operating means consistsof an operating rod fixed to the piston, said rod having a portioncarried into the vent when the piston has been moved into thecylindrical bore by a prescribed amount.

3. A sprayer according to claim 2 wherein said portion of said rod has amoving path substantially concentrio with the vent.

pling section for coupling the neck portion to the container, said sealmember engaging the inner wall of said recess and having a portion whichconstitutes said clos' ing means.

7. A sprayer according to claim 6 wherein said portion of said sealmember closes said vent at its upper portion, and is formed thinner thanthe remaining portion of said hollow seal member.

1. In a sprayer including a sprayer head having a cylindrical bore, apiston slidably inserted into said cylindrical bore and a container forreceiving a spray liquid therein, whereby, when operated, the pistonpermits the spray liquid to be sucked from the container into thecylindrical bore through pipe means and subsequently ejected from anozzle at the tip end of the piston, the improvement comprising a neckportion formed in integrity with said sprayer head and coupled to saidcontainer, said neck portion having a vent for permitting the interiorof the container to communicate with the open air, flexible closingmeans for normally closing said vent, operating means for deforming saidclosing means in accordance with the sliding movement of the piston toopen said vent.
 2. A sprayer according to claim 1 wherein said operatingmeans consists of an operating rod fixed to the piston, said rod havinga portion carried into the vent when the piston has been moved into thecylindrical bore by a prescribed amount.
 3. A sprayer according to claim2 wherein said portion of said rod has a moving path substantiallyconcentric with the vent.
 4. A sprayer according to claim 3 wherein saidvent is formed into an outwardly flaring bowl-like configuration.
 5. Asprayer according to claim 2 wherein said neck portion has a recessopened into the interior of the container, said vent permitting saidrecess to communicate with the open air.
 6. A sprayer according to claim5 further comprising a hollow seal member for liquid-tightly keeping acoupling section for coupling the neck portion to the container, saidseal member engaging the inner wall of said recess and having a portionwhich constitutes said closing means.
 7. A sprayer according to claim 6wherein said portion of said seal member closes said vent at its upperportion, and is formed thinner than the remaining portion of said hollowseal member.